Significant budget shortages and an overworked full-time faculty have created opportunities for qualified individuals to function as part-time professors. But part-time faculty members do not enjoy the same compensation, benefits and protections as full-time faculty, even when teaching the same course load.

Deborah Garfinkle, a part-time instructor in De Anza College’s English department has been teaching for more than 20 years. She teaches two classes at De Anza, while also having to commute to teach another two classes at the College of San Mateo.

“I love my students. I love working at De Anza,” she said. “[But] it’s a difficult situation for adjunct instructors.”

Garfinkle said part-time instructors have to teach for the service they render to the students, because the average salary of a part-time professor is well below that for the same load taught by a full-time faculty member. But, she said, she appreciates the diversity of the De Anza student body and it’s the reason she enjoys teaching at De Anza the most.

Paul Roehl, an art professor who has been teaching since 1985, also said his time at De Anza has been the best in his teaching career. Roehl said he usually teaches about 15 classes a year between De Anza and Evergreen Valley College. He also commutes daily from his residence in Santa Cruz to Silicon Valley. 

“Scheduling is the most difficult,” said Roehl. “Each school gives you certain times you need to be available and you have to fit both school schedules into those time frames. It can get very complicating.”

“At De Anza we’re lucky to get a lot of the same benefits,” said Roehl, when asked about the benefits he receives. “We have the opportunity to buy health insurance, but it’s still not equal to what the full-time faculty receives.”

On top of their tight schedules and lower pay, part-time professors do not have the same job security as full-time employees. Part-time faculty members are the lowest in seniority and are the first to be let go when classes are not filled or during times of department deficits.

“I’m one of the lucky few who have many years of experience behind me,” said Garfinkle. “But ultimately there is no job security, for any of us.”

Part-time faculty representative Mary Ellen Goodwin said part-time instructors teach 61 to 63 percent of classes.

“There shouldn’t be any part-time instructors,” said Roehl. “Everyone should have the same benefits and same hours.”